Chapter 370: Treating a Dying Horse as a Living One
At this moment, Ye Jiamei could feel that the atmosphere in the imperial chamber had completely changed.
It seemed that the only person who could control the Empress now was the Empress Dowager.
“Reporting to the Empress Dowager, this humble woman is indeed the doctor.”
Hearing her name called, Ye Jiamei quickly and obediently responded.
A deep red silk gown slowly approached her, but she kept her head bowed, following her strategy of humility and submission.
“Female physicians are rare,” the Empress Dowager mused, “but since the Crown Prince sought you out, I assume your medical skills must be noteworthy.”
“Imperial Grandmother,” the Crown Prince interjected before Ye Jiamei could reply, “I have heard that Doctor Ye possesses extraordinary medical expertise. She can perform cesarean sections, ensuring both the mother and child survive, without affecting future pregnancies. Though this is a condition affecting women, my father’s illness also concerns the abdomen. That is why I took the bold step of bringing her here.”
As soon as the Crown Prince spoke, the Empress Dowager’s expression shifted slightly, her gaze on Ye Jiamei carrying a hint of surprise.
Behind her, however, the Empress’s pupils contracted ever so slightly—a clear sign of shock.
She had assumed this timid-looking woman was nothing special, but it appeared she had some real skills.
“Childbirth is akin to passing through the gates of death,” the Empress Dowager noted. “I did not expect a mere woman to possess such formidable skills. However, His Majesty is no ordinary person.”
“Your Majesty,” Ye Jiamei replied humbly, “all living beings consume food and are thus susceptible to illness. Though His Majesty is divine, he too eats from the land. However, as the Son of Heaven, he is surely blessed by fate and will recover more swiftly than an ordinary person.”
Her words were cleverly crafted.
At first, she spoke rationally, but she ended with flattery, appealing to the Empress Dowager’s belief in divine fate.
Sure enough, the Empress Dowager’s expression softened, and she nodded in approval.
“Since the imperial physicians and renowned doctors have failed, you may proceed. If you can restore His Majesty’s health, you will be greatly rewarded.”
Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince, Consort De, and the Crown Princess all breathed sighs of relief.
However, the Empress’s hands clenched into fists beneath her sleeves.
“This humble woman dares not accept rewards,” Ye Jiamei replied quickly. “If His Majesty recovers, it will be due to the blessings of heaven. However, my methods are unconventional—many have never seen or understood them. If I am to diagnose His Majesty properly, I ask that Your Majesty allow me full control over the process. Without that, I may not even be able to determine the cause of his illness.”
The Empress Dowager’s slight warmth turned into a glimmer of suspicion.
Sensing this, the Crown Prince immediately bowed.
“Imperial Grandmother,” he said, “Doctor Ye may be from the common people, but she was trained by a secluded family of healers. Father has already gone three days without food. If she intended harm, she wouldn’t need to take any drastic measures. Moreover, with thousands of imperial guards stationed here, what could she possibly do?”
The logic was clear:
The Emperor was already on the brink of death—why not treat a dying horse as a living one?
This sentiment, though unspoken, was understood by everyone present.
The Empress, however, was secretly fuming.
If the Emperor lasted even two more days, she would have complete control, and the Crown Prince’s power would be crushed.
But with the Empress Dowager present, she had no way to oppose the decision outright.
The Empress Dowager let out a deep breath and finally nodded.
“You are right,” she said. “At this point, what else can we do? The imperial physicians have already been executed for their failures. If there is a doctor with unconventional methods, we must at least let her try.”
Her words were heavy with meaning—she was not just allowing treatment; she was also issuing a veiled warning.
She then personally helped Ye Jiamei up, her gaze now filled with a touch of kindness.
“Very well,” she declared. “His Majesty is in your hands. Whatever rare medicine you require, the imperial treasury will provide it.”
Rare medicine?
Hah! If that’s the case, I might as well take this chance to raid the palace’s stores…
However, Ye Jiamei was more concerned with what the Empress Dowager had just said.
So they’ve already executed several physicians?
Clearly, if she failed, she would be next.
“Understood,” she responded, regaining her composure.
With the Empress Dowager’s approval, Ye Jiamei returned to the Emperor’s bedside.
Without fear of the Empress, she immediately lifted the golden blanket covering the Emperor’s frail body.
Beneath it, the skeletal figure of the Emperor lay motionless.
His abdomen was grotesquely swollen—unnaturally large, as if he were seven months pregnant.
However, Ye Jiamei remained calm.
Her lack of shock or hesitation made the Empress Dowager even more confident in her abilities.
“The imperial physicians suspect that something abnormal has grown inside His Majesty’s abdomen,” Consort De said, her voice trembling.
“But the swelling only began in the past two months. Before that, there were no symptoms. Now, His Majesty frequently falls unconscious. The doctors have said the mass is too large to dissolve with medicine or acupuncture. Doctor Ye, do you have a solution?”
Ye Jiamei took a deep breath.
“This does resemble a foreign mass,” she acknowledged. “But there are two possibilities. I must conduct further examinations before confirming anything.”
She hesitated for a moment before making a bold request.
“May I ask everyone to leave the chamber? I will need half an hour to properly diagnose His Majesty.”
The Crown Prince’s eyes lit up.
She wasn’t panicking—this meant she might actually have a cure!
Before the Empress could interject, he immediately agreed.
“Imperial Grandmother, Doctor Ye has already received your approval. We should comply with her request and await her diagnosis outside. Don’t you agree?”
At this, the Empress Dowager nodded.
At this stage, they had nothing to lose.
She was even willing to gamble on an unorthodox doctor to save her son.
The Empress, however, panicked.
“Mother, even if it is for His Majesty’s sake, how can we allow an unknown woman to be alone with him?”
She tried to stall, grasping at protocol.
But the Crown Prince turned to her coldly.
“Mother, do you have a better doctor in mind?”
His words sharpened the tension in the air.
